[vfio-users] choosing motherboard/chipset, hardware compatibility lists

[Daniel Pocock]

On 03/03/16 13:15, Alex Williamson wrote:
> On Thu, Mar 3, 2016 at 5:33 AM, Daniel Pocock <daniel at pocock.pro
> <mailto:daniel at pocock.pro>> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>     After the problems with the Intel 55x0 chipset, I've been looking at how
>     to choose something that is more likely to work
> 
>     I came across some lists maintained in various places:
> 
>     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_IOMMU-supporting_hardware
>       (mentions the C612 chipset but not the earlier C602?)
> 
>     https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LnGpTrXalwGVNy0PWJDURhyxa3sgqkGXmvNCIvIMenk/edit?pref=2&pli=1#gid=0
> 
>     http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX131385
>     (this says HP Z800 is supported, but maybe they were testing one with
>     the newer 5520 C2 chipset)
> 
>     https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=io
> 
>     http://www.odin.com/support/extreme/
>        (mentions a few chipsets)
> 
>     Are there any others that people consider useful for KVM VGA
>     passthrough?
> 
> 
>  http://vfio.blogspot.com/2015/10/intel-processors-with-acs-support.html
> 
> VT-d is more in the processor than the chipset these days.  Picking the
> right processor will automatically pick the right chipset, which will be
> X79/X99 (or equivalent C-series) based.
> 


Thanks for this feedback

X79 is Patsburg, appears to be equivalent[1] to C602  (HP Z420, Z620, Z820)

X99 is Wellsburg, appears to be equivalent[2] to C612 (HP Z440, Z640, Z840)

Your blog comments on the features moving from chipset to CPU.  Does
that mean that BIOS and motherboard manufacturer have less impact on
success as well, or these are still strong factors?

Is there anything you would consider to be a compelling reason to use
Wellsburg-based chipsets, or if I locate a box from the Patsburg era
that should suffice?



1. http://ark.intel.com/products/codename/29968/Patsburg
2. http://ark.intel.com/products/codename/44349/Wellsburg